Container top



R. W. WILSON Dec. 24, 1935.

CONTAINER TOP Filed Jan. 10, 1935 171,5 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER TOP Ralph W. Wilson, New York, N. Y.

Application January 10, 1935, Serial No. 1,10.) 9 Claims. (01. 221-62) The present invention relates to tops for containers adapted particularly for use in dispenslng substances from containers by simple manual manipulation and without requiring an element to be bodily removed from a container. The field in which the present invention is particularly suited is the cosmetic and pharmaceutical field and the invention lends itself particularly well to containers, the contents of which are most conveniently dispensed by the use of one hand only, thus leaving the other hand available for other desired operations.

More particularly, the present invention embodies certain improvements over the construction shown in applicants copending application Ser. No. 711,475 filed February 16, 1934, for Closures for containers wherein the container top is formed with a neck shell having a surface curved about an axis transversely of the shell and the top being formed with a surface correspondingly curved in order that it may mate with the first curved surface to permit the top to be rocked about the axis of curvature to expose or close the opening in the shell.

Applicant's above mentioned copending application shows several forms of closures of this type and the present invention distinguishes therefrom in the provision of a container top of the above character wherein the movable top is maintained normally in a horizontal and closed position by a detent formation which positively limits closing motion of the top at the closed hori zontal position and yieldingly resists opening motion of the top from the closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container top construction of the above character wherein the neck shell and top movably mounted thereon are formed with recessed portions and detents by means of which a motion limiting action is derived, as well as a definite action to locate the movable member yieldingly in a plurality of positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container neck shell and top construction wherein a shouldered detent is provided to cooperate with a recessed portion in a cooperating member, the recessed portion being formed with a wall against which the detent may abut to limit motion of the top in one direction and wherein cooperating flanges are provided on the members to serve as a limit to motion of the top in the other direction as well as a convenient manually engageable member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container top. and neck shell structure of the above character wherein a recessed portion is formed in one of the members to serve not only as a positive abutment to limit motion of the movable member in one direction but also a means for holding the movable member yieldingly in one or more positions.

Further objects, not specifically enumerated above, will be apparent as the invention is described in greater detail in. connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view inside elevation showing a container neck shell and top therefor constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the elements of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in section, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows, this view showing the movable top in a closed position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the top in open position.

Figure 5 is a view in section, taken on line 55 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

With reference to the above drawing, a container has been indicated generally at I!) and is provided with an opening in the upper portion thereof. This opening is provided in order that substance within the container may be dispensed therefrom and in accordance with the present invention, the dispensing of such substance takes place through a neck shell II which is preferably dome or spherically shaped, being formed with a suitably designed opening ii! in the top thereof and provided with a circumferentially flanged portion 13 at its base. The flange I3 is provided with a reversely extended portion ll having a parallel flanged member I 5 which is adapted to engage the top of the container and clamp the same to the reversely extended portion I.

A spherically shaped top member I6 is provided with ears I 1 upon the opposite sides thereof, the ears having pressed-in" portions l8 which are adapted to engage similarly flanged recesses IS in the shell I l in order that the top l6 may be hinged upon the axis transverse to the axis of the shell II and rock into and out of closed position.

The top i6 is formed with an aperture 20 shaped similarly to the aperture l2 and adapted to register with the aperture l 2 when in the position illustrated in Figure 4. In order that the top may normally lie in the position illustrated in Figure 3, when the container is closed, the aperture 20 is preferably oflset with' respect to a vertical plane passing through and in which the axis of the hinge connection of the top lies. As a result thereof, the opening 20 is offset with respect to the top of the shell Ii when in closed position as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

The top i6 is formed with oppositely extending flanges 2i which are provided with downwardly extending flanges 22. The flanges 22 not only form a rounded corner on the ends of the flanges 2| but also serve as a stop or abutment to engage the flange i3 and limit motion of the top It when moved into the open position as shown in Figure 4.

In order that the top may be positively located in the closed position shown in Figure 3, it is formed with a pressed-in portion 23 having a wall 24 which is relatively right angular with respect to the adjacent portion of the inner surface of the top. The pressed-in portion 23 is adapted to engage an elongated recessed or pressed-in portion 25, formed in the shell ll, one end wall 26 of this recessed portion being formed to serve as an abutment against which the wall 24 positively engages to limit motion of the top into its closed position as illustrated in Figure 3. The bottom surface or portion 21 of the pressed-in portion 23 is adapted to engage a high spot 28 formed in the elongated recess 25 in order that it may cam back and forth over the high spot to hold the top yieldingly in either a closed or an open position. In the open position, and when the flange 22 engages the flange l3, the bottom 21 is received within a depression 29 formed in the end of the recess 25 remote from the wall 26.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the top It can be rocked back and forth between an open and a closed position, motion of the top in each direction being effectively limited by the detent and flange construction illustrated. Not only is such motion limited in the above manner but the limiting means serves additionally as a means for holding the top yieldingly in either of such positions. Moreover, the flange 22 not only provides a more convenient and comfortable manual operating means but additionally serves as the limiting stop above described.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limited, save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A closure for containers comprising a neck shell member having its end formed with a sur face curved uniformly and provided with a dispensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell with capacity for relative movement therebetween upon a transverse axis to bring the openings into or out of alignment as required, and common means to limit motion of the cap positively in one direction and yieldingly resist motion of the cap from one position thereof in the other direction.

horizontal position and yieldingly resist opening motion of the cap from the closed position.

3. A closure for containers comprising a neck shell member having its end formed with a surface curved uniformly and provided with a dispensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell withcapacity for relative movement therebetween upon a transverse axis to bring the openings into or outof alignment as required, means to limit closing motion of the cap positively in a normally closed horizontal position and yieldingly resist opening motion of the cap from the closed position, and a manually engageable flange on the top independent of the last named means and adapted to engage an ad- Jacent portion of the container to limit motion of the top in another direction.

4. A closure for containers comprising a neck shell member having its end formed with a surface curved uniformly and provided with a dispensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell with capacity for relative movement therebetween upon a transverse axis to bring the openings into or out of alignment as required, common means to limit closing motion of the cap positively in a normally closed hori- 30 zontal position and yieldingly resist opening motion of the cap from the closed position, a flange on the base portion of the neck shell, a manually engageable flange on the top and a flange depending from the last named flange to engage the first flange and limit motion of the top in another direction. a

5. A closure for containers comprising a nec shell member having its end formed with a surface curved uniformly and provided with a dis- 40 pensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell with capacity for relative movement therebetween to bring the openings into or out of alignment as required, a detent on one of the members and having a surface thereof formed as an abutment, and a recessed portion on the other of the members, the recessed portion having a wall serving as a stop against which the abutment of the detent is adapted to engage to limit motion of the said one of the members in one direction, the recessed portion being further formed to hold the detent and member yieldingly in open or closed position.

6. A closure for containers comprising a neck shell member having its end formed with a surface curved uniformly and provided'with a dispensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted 0' in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell with capacity for relative movement therebetween to bring the openings into or out of alignment as required, a detent onone of the members and having a surface thereof formed as an abutment, the detent further being formed with a sloping cam surface, and a recessed portion on the other of the members, the recessed portion having a wall serving as a stop against which the abutment of the detent is adapted to engage to limit motion of the said one of the members in one direction, the recessed portion being further formed with a projecting portion adapted to engage the sloping cam surface on the detent and resist relative motion between the members upon motion of the detent away from the stop.

7. A closure for containers comprising a neck shell member having its end formed with a surface curved uniformly and provided with a dispensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell with capacity for relative movement therebetween to bring the openings into or out of alignment as required, a' detent on one of the members and having a surface thereof formed as an abutment, and a recessed portion on the other of the members, the recessed portion having a wall serving as a stop against which the abutment of the detent is adapted to engage to limit motion of the said one of the members in one direction, the recessed portion being further formed to hold the detent and member yieldingly in open or closed position, and a manually engageable flange on the top adapted to engage an adjacent portion of the container to limit motion of the top in another direction.

8. A closure for containers comprising a neck shell member having its end formed with a surface curved uniformly and provided with a dispensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell with capacity for relative movement therebetween upon a transverse axis to bring the openings into or out of alignment as required, and common means on the cap and shell to limit motion of the cap positively in one direction and yieldingly resist motion of the cap fromv one position thereof in the other direction.

9. A closure for containers comprising a neck shell member having its end formed with a surface curved uniformly and provided with a dispensing opening, a cap member of similar form having a dispensing opening therein, mounted in nested relation to the shell, means to engage the cap with the shell with capacity for relative movement therebetween upon a transverse axis to bring the openings into or out of alignment as required, and common means on the cap and shell 20 

